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Former Cats remaining in the NBA Playoffs

Mar 2, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) dribbles against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Good morning, BBN!

It is officially one of the greatest times of the sports calendar as the NBA and NHL Playoffs are in full swing. Now, while there are not a lot of former Kentucky Wildcats riddled across the NHL, there are plenty of them in the NBA.

On top of that, there are still several Cats fighting for a chance to win an NBA Championship this season.

As the second round gets underway, we have eight teams remaining: Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and the Philadelphia 76ers. Only one team does not have a former Cat on the roster: The Pistons.

So who is still playing? Here is a quick list:

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
  • Cason Wallace (OKC)
  • Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL)
  • Julius Randle (MIN)
  • De’Aaron Fox (SA)
  • Keldon Johnson (SA)
  • Olivier Sarr (CLE)
  • Karl Anthony-Towns (NYK)
  • Tyrese Maxey (PHI)
  • Justin Edwards (PHI)

At the moment, it looks like the chances of another former Wildcat bringing home an NBA Championship are quite good. Should be a fun few rounds left to watch who cuts down the nets.

Tweet of the Day

Plenty of people are spending on college basketball this offseason.

Headlines

SEC Tournament Tuesday Schedule Update – UK Athletics

Kentucky Softball is set to play Mississippi State around 2 PM ET.

ABS system approved for SEC Tournament- KSR

FINALLY!

New 2026-27 preseason projection poll has Kentucky sitting outside the top 40- KSR

The Cats have room to go forward.

Doubling Up: Bell, Van Cleave Earn SEC Weekly Honors- UK Athletics

A big week for a few Cats.

Kentucky continues to improve its chances with three-star RB Kelsey Gerald- Cats Pause

Will Stein is continuing to stay hot on the trail.

Tigers’ Tarik Skubal to undergo surgery on left elbow- ESPN

A huge loss for th Tigers.

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards to play in Game 1 vs. Spurs- ESPN

He’s Baaaack.

Way-too-early 2027 NFL Mock Draft- CBS

These are always great to follow.

With Louisville, Tennessee thriving, Mark Pope’s hot seat intensifies amid Kentucky’s portal struggles- CBS

Never good when your recruiting struggles continue to make national news.

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YouTube Gold: The Waiter Delivers

BOSTON - DECEMBER 18: Toni Kukoc #7 of the Chicago Bulls shoots during a game played on December 18, 1995 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Jerry Krause doesn’t get enough credit for what he did with the Chicago Bulls. Not only did he not make the mistake that Houston and Portland made in not taking Michael Jordan (the Bulls took him at #3 in the 1984 draft), he quickly paired him with Scottie Pippen.

For the first three championship teams, the Bulls put guys like Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, and John Paxson around their Dynamic Duo.

Jordan, of course, stepped away from basketball after the 1993 championship, but came back in 1995.

The team to an extent had already been rebuilt, notably with Grant being traded, but Krause again put together a brilliant group. He still had Pippen, and of course, Jordan was back. But the core of the rotation had been rebuilt, and brilliantly.

Chicago brought in shooter Steve Kerr, Aussie big man Luc Longley, Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman, and a player Krause had long coveted, Toni Kukoc.

Krause had long celebrated Kukoc, a native of Croatia, to the point where Jordan and Pippen were sick of hearing about him, so they went out of their way to shut him down when the Dream Team played Croatia in the 1992 Olympics.

But Krause wasn’t wrong: Kukoc was great. Not really good. Great.

At 6-11, Kukoc had point guard skills, as you’ll see here, and he meshed perfectly with that team. You wanted to keep Jordan and Pippen on the court as much as possible, but you could add Rodman, Kukoc, and Harper to almost anyone else on the floor and have possibly the most versatile team in NBA history.

That team really did invent positionless basketball, and did it decades before the term was even considered.

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RFU backs Steve Borthwick to lead England for 2027 World Cup after Six Nations review

  • England suffered four defeats in dismal Six Nations

  • Bill Sweeney says improvement not ‘one simple answer’

Steve Borthwick and his coaching staff are to remain in charge of England’s men’s team despite the squad’s worst Five or Six Nations for 50 years. The Rugby Football Union has opted to back Borthwick and his lieutenants through to next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia having completed what it described as “a detailed and robust review” of England’s latest campaign.

Despite having lost four championship games in the same season for the first time since 1976, the RFU has chosen to keep faith with the Borthwick regime in the belief that things can only get better. The union has decided that sacking the head coach is not the optimal solution, having previously dispensed with Eddie Jones’s services nine months prior to the 2023 World Cup.

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Pens Points: Offseason Mode

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 8: Ryan Shea #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with Arturs Silovs #37 following a 5-4 overtime win over the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to switch into offseason mode as the Pittsburgh Penguins have a busy summer ahead as they look to continue to retool and build off the success of the 2025-26 season that saw them return to the playoffs for the first time in four years. There is plenty of work for Kyle Dubas to attend to and that work starts now as his team evaluates free agents, explore possible trade options, and prepare for the NHL Draft.

Pens Points…

With the Penguins out of the playoffs, all attentions turns to the offseason and what Kyle Dubas has plans to keep retooling the team back into a true contender. There are many avenues Dubas can pick this offseason, which should make him a busy man throughout the summer. [Pensburgh]

One of the many questions to answered this summer for Kyle Dubas and his staff will be which pending free agents to resign and which to let go. Among those pending free agents is defenseman Ryan Shea who put himself in line for a big pay day with his play this season. [Trib Live]

Shea is just one of a handful of players who the Penguins will need to make decisions on this summer. The biggest name among the group is obviously Evgeni Malkin, but Geno is far from the only player without a contract the Penguins could bring back for another run. [The Hockey News]

Two years ago, the Penguins signed Sebastian Aho as a free agent, but not the Aho who immediately comes to mind when you hear the name. Signed to be a depth defenseman in the Penguins system, Aho did not appear in a single NHL game in his two seasons in the organization. [Trib Live]

Second round action is now underway in the Stanley Cup playoffs with three of the four series already through Game 1 with just Montreal/Buffalo waiting to begin. Carolina looks to have already overmatched Philadelphia while Minnesota and Colorado should be great hockey theater. [Pensburgh]

NHL News and Notes…

Remember when we all thought the biggest event of the spring for the Penguins was going to be waiting to see how high they were picking in the 2026 NHL Draft? While the Penguins will not be taking part, 16 other teams will learn their draft fate tonight at the NHL Draft Lottery. [NHL]

NHL Award nominations roll on this week with the Bill Masterson finalists being announced on Monday. Rasmus Dahlin, Gabe Landeskog, and Jonathan Toews will vie for the Masterson trophy this season after comeback seasons from all three. [NHL]

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Pirates need to take the training wheels off of Paul Skenes

Apr 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) watches game action from the dugout against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates have on paper one of the best rotations in baseball, but they cannot expect to maximize that talent if they continue to limit their ace, Paul Skenes.

In 2026, Skenes has seven starts under his belt with a 4-2 record and a 3.18 ERA. When he’s on the mound, he’s mostly been very effective, with his starts against the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals being outliers. Outside of those two ugly starts though ,Skenes has only allowed one earned run or less in his other appearances. The problem now though is when Skenes, pitches he’s averaging less than five innings pitched, 4.76 innings on average to be exact.

If this is the plan the Pirates have to keep Skenes fresh for the postseason, they will fail. The game plan of playing not to lose instead of playing to win has a weak foundation, and the Pirates won’t even sniff the playoffs if they continue to utilize Skenes this way. The middle innings have been rough for Pittsburgh’s bullpen, and the longer those arms are out there the more likely it is that opposing teams are going to win.

Perhaps the biggest flaw in Skenes’ game is why the Pirates have been cautious with his starts; his biggest flaw being that he throws a lot of pitches. Skenes relies a lot on swing and miss pitches, and balls that just barely miss the strike zone. Because of his approach, he racks up pitches, sometimes quickly. In his most recent start against the Cardinals, the 23-year-old righty threw 102 pitches in just five innings. His start before that against Milwaukee, he threw 93 pitches, and twice this season topped 85 pitches thrown as well. If it’s a matter of workload ,the Pirates are still letting him throw a high number of pitches in a smaller amount of innings, as he’s currently averaging roughly 78.3 pitches thrown per contest.

Perhaps the reason that the Pirates have limited the action that Skenes sees is the dark underlying one that all Buccos fans fear. It’s possible that the Pirates don’t see Skenes as a long term option for the club, but instead as a massive trade package for future assets. Let’s not sugarcoat it, Skenes is the best pitcher in baseball. The best pitcher in baseball figures to fetch quite the contract extension when his time comes. However, the 19-year-old unproven prospect who hadn’t yet played an inning of Major League ball got the largest contract extension in franchise history. Meanwhile Skenes is already a two-time All-Star and Cy Young Award winner, and is still playing on the deal he signed when he was drafted.

Ever since he was drafted but especially last season, there have been numerous rumors about the Pirates receiving trade offers for Skenes. Now even if the Pirates have no intention of trading the superstar pitcher now, they might not have him in the budget long term. Skenes could easily garner a $5o million yearly salary, which would break the bank for the thrifty Pirates. Zach Wheeler and Jacob DeGrom are currently averaging about $40 million a year, and Skenes could easily get that or more. Perhaps the Pirates are just trying to keep Skenes as healthy as possible to keep the trade market as bountiful as possible, or it’s entirely possible that Skenes doesn’t want to be a Pirate long term, although nothing to this point has indicated that.

Regardless of what the Pirates or Skenes’ plans are longterm, both parties need to be focused on the task at hand. Pittsburgh is at the bottom of the NL Central, and it’s not going to get any easier down the stretch. The goal should be to win, and Skenes is the guy that can help bring this team out of the basement and into the limelight.

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It’s time to hold Rafael Stone to the fire

The Rockets are not going to fire their GM or their Head Coach. Once you allow the emotion of the immensely disappointing end to the Rockets season subside, (and please take all the time you need) then you understand why they aren’t doing it, even if you think they should fire Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka. As for this writer? I’m in the camp that doesn’t think it’s time to fire them yet, but things sure seem to be heading in the direction where I think they may need to go. For instance, should they turn right around and trade Kevin Durant for pennies on the dollar, that would signal to me a complete admission that trading for him was a mistake in the first place.

Now, I want to say there is no way they are going to trade Kevin Durant, but I am the same guy who said they would never trade for Kevin Durant and hang their championship hopes on a 37-year-old with a lengthy injury history. That to me is kind of the issue. I hope they know what the plan is, because from where I am sitting, I have no clue. I have stood 10 toes down for Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka over the last three seasons, but in my humble opinion, enough time has passed where it’s time to start asking some questions about the job Rafael Stone has done.

My first question is this… How is it that after having a top four pick for four years in a row, having 10 first round nd picks total, the Rockets managed to get exactly zero consistent shooters, and after trading away Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore, have just one freakishly athletic player in Amen Thompson, who can create their own shot or shots for others. Yes, Alperen Sengun is athletic for his size, however he is not the type of player that will break down any defender and create offense, and if you want to agree to disagree that’s okay… I’ll give Stone two guys… out of 10. Neither of whom is a consistent shooter.

How is it that the Oklahoma City Thunder have shooters all the way down to the ball boy and guy who wipes the sweat off the floor, and the Houston Rockets have none? How is it that they have 11 guys who can create a shot for themselves, and the Houston Rockets have two? Rafael Stone built this team. No one, and I mean NO ONE he has drafted is a consistent shooter. If Reed Sheppard becomes that, then he will have drafted exactly one shooter.

Now, for those of you who will say, “But the ping pong balls never went his way…” Okay, so he couldn’t have drafted Cade Cunningham, but you did get an absolute freak of nature in Jalen Green, and you gave up on him at the age of 23. He couldn’t draft Paolo Banchero… but he could have drafted Jaylen Williams. I’ll give a slight pass on this as Jabari was projected to be a much more consistent shooter in the NBA, but I get my draft analysis from TV and the internet. Rafael Stone gets paid a lot of money to be right. I will give Jabari this complement. He cares and he steps his game up in big moments. That’s the kind of guy you want on your team, but in hindsight, he is not the third best player from that draft class. I’m not going to fault him for drafting Amen Thompson because in my opinion, outside of Wemby, Thompson is the best player from that class. However, Thompson is a guy you put on a team full of shooters and the Rockets had none at the time they drafted him.

So, if you couldn’t draft the shooters then why couldn’t you add them in free-agency? Luke Kennard could have been made a Rocket last offseason. Instead, Stone signed DFS to a three-year deal. A 35-percent career three-point shooter, because he had one efficient shooting season with the Lakers and Nets. Duncan Robinson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Seth Curry??? Anyone? Rather, we saw the Rockets turn into a stand around and watch KD, because no one else can create a shot, offense. Udoka is not absolved from this conversation, but Raphael Stone is doing the grocery shopping, and like me when my wife sends me to the store, he keeps forgetting stuff.

The Rockets cannot, in my opinion, turn around and make the Kevin Durant trade obsolete by flipping him after one season. I think, they want to get a look at the team with Fred Van Vleet, with a healthy DFS, with a healthy Durant and Steven Adams, but go back and just read what I wrote there. Put the odds on all of that happening. Put the odds on that beating OKC, or even the Lakers. The year to run it back one more time was this past season and Rafael Stone said “NOPE!” So now, what is he going to do? Because the job is still his. He painted himself into this corner and he’s going to have to get himself out of it, quickly.

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Recruiting your own roster: 10 retention wins that matter more than portal adds

Florida only added one player via the college basketball transfer portal ahead of the 2026-27 season, but came away as one of the biggest winners of the offseason due to retention.

The Gators were able to keep leading scorer Thomas Haugh and two-year starting forward Alex Condon for next season, despite both players having heavy NBA interest. Starting guard Boogie Fland is also returning, and starting center Rueben Chinyelu is testing the NBA draft waters while maintaining his eligibility.

Elsewhere, Connecticut was able to keep March Madness hero Braylon Mullins for his second season, despite Mullins being projected as a first-round pick.

There's a new No. 1: College basketball transfer portal team rankings

Basketball portal’s early losers: Big names, big swings, bigger questions

Sometimes the best additions are the ones already on the roster, especially in today’s era of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness influencing players' decisions.

Here’s a look at our top-10 retentions ahead of the 2026-27 college basketball season, whether it was an NBA or portal decision looming:

College Basketball Transfer Portal Retention Wins

Braylon Mullins, UConn

Mullins proved to be a missing puzzle piece for Dan Hurley and UConn to get back to the Final Four as an all-around player, highlighted by his ability to hit challenging shots. He hit the game-winning shot to get the Huskies to within two wins of their third national championship title in the past four NCAA tournaments.

After averaging 12.0 points per game, 33.5% from 3-point shooting and 29 starts in 33 games, he was being projected as a mid- to late-first round draft pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. However, he opted to return to the Huskies for his sophomore season, where there's "unfinished business" to be settled.

Mullins’ return to UConn positions him as one of the top players in the country and one of the Huskies' leading scorers next season, but also gives him a real chance to elevate his stock into a lottery pick for the 2027 NBA Draft.

Thomas Haugh, Florida

Haugh is another player who seemed destined to declare for the draft. He decided to pass up on being a projected lottery pick and return to the Gators in an attempt to making one last deep run in March Madness after an abrupt end this past season.

"Most guys in my position in the draft, it would be a no-brainer to go to the NBA," Haugh said on his reasoning. "It’s not just the NIL. It’s a chance to play with my boys. To play for coach (Todd) Golden." While NIL certainly isn't the main reason in his return, it certainly is a factor in why the Gators were able to retain him. As noted by ESPN, Haugh is expected to be one of the highest-paid players in the country this upcoming season which, like Mullins, will likely be more than he would have potentially made in the NBA.

His return gives Golden an All-American returning to his frontcourt and a reliable go-to scorer and rebounder who averaged 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season.

MORE: When the stars are gone, the smart transfer portal moves matter most

Patrick Ngongba II, Duke

Patrick Ngongba II was another top talent who opted to run it back one more year in college rather than go to the NBA, where he was projected as a late first-round draft pick.

The return of the 6-11 center is a big one for Duke, who will look to give it another go at snapping an 11-year national championship drought. Ngongba finished as Duke's third-leading scorer last season with 10.1 points per game and 60.6% shooting from the field, while being one of the top defensive players in the country with 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

Before sustaining a foot injury just before the ACC Tournament, Ngongba was playing some of his best basketball down the stretch of the regular season, as he scored in double figures in five straight games before the injury.

Nigel James Jr, Marquette

Marquette guard Nigel James Jr. (0) celebrates his dunk during the second half of their game Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Marquette beat Creighton 86-62.

One of Marquette's most important offseasons in the Shaka Smart era began with retaining the core three — Nigel James Jr., Adrian Phillips and Royce Parham — of the Golden Eagles' freshman class for their 2026-27 roster rebuild.

The first domino to fall came on Day 1 of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden when James announced he was returning to the Golden Eagles for his sophomore season during his Big East Freshman of the Year acceptance speech. It was not only a moment that shut down any thought of him potentially entering the transfer portal, but it also provided Marquette with a point guard and go-to scorer to build around with its expected portal activity.

The 6-foot guard finished as one of just two freshmen in the country to finish with at least 19.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game in conference games this past season, with the other being Darius Acuff Jr. at Arkansas.

Cayden Boozer, Duke

All signs pointed to Cayden Boozer returning to Duke for a sophomore season after playing alongside his brother, Cameron Boozer. His announcement of his return was a big one for Jon Scheyer.

Boozer provided Duke with quality minutes at the end of the season when Caleb Foster got injured ahead of the ACC Tournament. The 6-4 guard, the son of former Duke legend Carlos Boozer, averaged 13 points per game in the seven starts he made during Foster's absence.

Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt

Tyler Tanner enjoyed a breakout season in 2025-26, averaging 19.5 points with 3.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for Vanderbilt. The 6-foot sophomore declared for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility, keeping the option to return to school.

Tanner returning to Vanderbilt looks likely, where he’ll be well-compensated and be one of the best returning guards in college basketball. His size (listed at 6-foot), along with the 2026 class being loaded at guard, could factor into his decision.

Alex Condon, Florida

Florida Gators forward/center Alex Condon (21) drives the ball in the first half against the Prairie View A&M Panthers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena.

Condon nearly left Florida for the NBA Draft after winning a national championship in 2025. He returned for 2025-26 and now will be back again for 2026-27 as a senior.

The 6-11 Australian averaged 15.1 points with 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last season for the Gators, and formed one of the best frontcourts in college basketball with Haugh and Chinyelu, who’s also trending toward a return next season.

Condon could be the best returning big man in college basketball next season, especially with his playmaking ability as both a scorer and passer.

Trey McKenney, Michigan

One of the most popular breakout picks for next season, former five-star recruit Trey McKenney is returning for 2026-27 despite having NBA interest after his true freshman season at Michigan.

The 6-4 former McDonald’s All American averaged 9.9 points while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range off the bench for the reigning national champions. He should enter the starting lineup next season, and has a chance to turn into Michigan’s go-to scorer as a sophomore.

McKenney averaged 12 points per game during the NCAA Tournament and was a huge retention win for coach Dusty May and the Wolverines.

MBB recruiting 2026 team rankings: Kansas lands top player, but another program is No. 1

Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois

Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic also entered his name into 2026 NBA Draft consideration, although it's becoming increasingly likely he'll return to school.

The 6-7 guard was an NCAA Tournament breakout, earning All-Region honors after averaging 13.8 points with four rebounds per game off the bench for the Fighting Illini. The two-time transfer will likely start alongside a cast of Illinois returners, including Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic, along with transfer Stefan Vaaks from Providence.

Stojakovic, the son of former NBA star Peja Stojakovic, averaged 13.5 points per game in his first season after transferring from Stanford and Cal.

Rob Wright III, BYU

BYU guard Rob Wright III initially entered the transfer portal, but the Cougars were able to retain their second-leading scorer for his junior season.

Wright averaged 18.1 points with 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game last season, despite playing second fiddle to projected No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. Wright will pace BYU in 2026-27 and will be the No. 1 option for the squad in his second season after transferring from Baylor.

Wright was one of the top-ranked players in the transfer portal, but he ends up returning to BYU, where he’ll be asked to score early and often.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sometimes best transfer portal move is keeping what you already have

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NHL Draft lottery odds and what's at stake for Bruins with Maple Leafs' pick

NHL Draft lottery odds and what's at stake for Bruins with Maple Leafs' pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The immediate and long-term future of the Boston Bruins could be greatly improved if the ping-pong balls fall their way in Tuesday night’s 2026 NHL Draft Lottery at 7 p.m. ET.

The Bruins exceeded expectations in 2025-26 with a 100-point regular season and a wild card playoff berth. Despite losing to the Buffalo Sabres in a six-game first-round series, the B’s could still end up with a lottery pick in the upcoming draft.

That’s because they own the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top-five protected 2026 first-round pick, which was acquired as part of the Brandon Carlo trade from the 2025 trade deadline. The B’s also got center Fraser Minten and a 2025 fourth-round pick in that trade.

The Leafs finished with the fifth-worst record in the league this season and have an 8.5 percent chance of winning the lottery as a result. If their 2026 first-rounder lands in the top five,the Leafs keep it. In that scenario, the Bruins would get Toronto’s 2027 or 2028 first-rounder instead. (More detailed pick conditions here).

If the Leafs’ pick ends up being outside the top five, the Bruins get it to complete the Carlo trade.

So, what are the chances the B’s get the pick this year? Boston has a 58.2 percent chance of getting it.

Here are the Maple Leafs’ draft pick odds, per Tankathon:

  • No. 1 pick: 8.5 percent (stays with Leafs)
  • No. 2: 8.6 percent (stays with Leafs)
  • No. 3: 0.3 percent (stays with Leafs)
  • No. 4: N/A
  • No. 5: 24.5 percent (stays with Leafs)
  • No. 6: 44 percent (conveys to Boston)
  • No. 7: 14.2 percent (conveys to Boston)

The Bruins need at least one team to leapfrog the Leafs in order to get Toronto’s pick. The Bruins had the fifth-best odds to win the lottery last season and two teams (Islanders and Mammoth) jumped over them, so it’s possible. Teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery.

Getting the No. 6 or No. 7 pick would be a massive boost to the Bruins’ collection of assets. The 2026 draft has a lot of high-end defenseman prospects, and that’s one area of the Bruins’ prospect pool that needs significant improvement.

The Bruins have a bunch of exciting forward prospects, most notably James Hagens, Dean Letourneau, Will Zellers and Will Moore, among others. They don’t have a top-tier defenseman prospect, and they need one with Hampus Lindholm (32) and Nikita Zadorov (31) on the wrong side of age 30.

The Bruins also could use the No. 6 or No. 7 pick as a trade chip to pursue an impact player. They desperately need another elite forward — preferably a center — to take some of the scoring burden off David Pastrnak. Trading for top-six forwards is tough, but having a top-7 pick is a nice asset to dangle.

Even if the Maple Leafs keep their pick, the Bruins will still get a first-rounder from Toronto eventually. The Carlo trade has been a massive win regardless of when this pick conveys.

But when you look at the ages of the Bruins’ core players, getting this pick now would easily be the most ideal scenario:

  • Morgan Geekie, LW, 27 years old
  • Jeremy Swayman, G, 27
  • Charlie McAvoy, D, 28
  • Pavel Zacha, C/W, 29
  • David Pastrnak, RW, 29
  • Elias Lindholm, C, 31
  • Nikita Zadorov, D, 31
  • Hampus Lindholm, D, 32
  • Viktor Arvidsson, LW, 33 (UFA this summer)

The Bruins have owned the Maple Leafs on and off the ice for a long time. Toronto hasn’t won a playoff series against Boston since 1959, and the Leafs have made a bunch of awful trades with the B’s.

The Maple Leafs are due for some luck in this rivalry. And given the state of their franchise, they very badly need this pick. It should make for a thrilling lottery Tuesday night.

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Brad Stevens’ next move is to reload for another title run

Philadelphia, PA - April 30: Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens talk during warmups. The Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

Brad Stevens earned his Executive of the Year award by resetting his team’s roster financially while also fielding a squad of productive, overachieving, high effort players with high future potential. Then the first round happened and Cinderella’s carriage turned back into a pumpkin. So for his next trick, Brad Stevens has to use that hard earned flexibility to reload this roster for the future and get that glass slipper.

For a brief reminder, the reason the team cut all those salaries last offseason was because the current CBA was designed to break up teams like the 2024/2025 version of the Celtics. The ginormous tax bill was part of the problem, and we’ll never know how much it was a motivator. But the other big factor was all the team-building restrictions put on any team above the 2nd apron. I’m not looking to re-litigate that whole process — just pointing out that decisions were made with a stated objective to maximize future flexibility.

Well, the future is now. Jayson Tatum returned looking better than any could have hoped (with the unfortunate exception of Game 7) and will have a whole offseason to get back to 100%. Both Jayson and Jaylen Brown are squarely in the primes of their careers (and paid handsomely over the next 3-4 years). The singular goal of the front office is to field a championship level team this year and for the foreseeable future.

So where do we stand with the team’s books? Bobby Marks lays out the basics below.

Let’s take a closer look at some of those subjects. This is by no means an exhaustive breakdown, but a good place to kick things off two months before the draft and offseason and reset expectations.

While the team is under the tax aprons, they are still over the salary cap, which means they don’t have room under the cap to offer to free agents. (See Spotrac for a year over year breakdown of the roster). The good news is that they do have exceptions that they can use. More on that below.

Celtics Own Free Agents

The Celtics have several players that could be free agents, but nearly all of them have a team option to keep around. Some of those are no-brainers (Jordan Walsh) and others are decisions that can be made in the fall based on how the rest of the roster shakes out (Amari Williams, Ron Harper Jr., etc.).

Perhaps the most important objective is to find a way to keep Neemias Queta around. The team has a team option on him (so he’s almost certainly going to be back next year), but he’s also extension eligible. The team would be best served by picking up his option and extending off of that at (subject to what Queta is willing to agree to). The other option is to decline the option and sign him to a contract that starts off with a bigger first year value. The problem with that is that it takes away a lot of the flexibility that the team worked so hard to create.

Finally, the team has to decide what to do with Nikola Vucevic. In my opinion, they would be best served by letting him walk and using the flexibility elsewhere. There are also sign-and-trade options but I’m not sure if there’s going to be a ton of demand for his diminishing skills.

Another note: Payton Pritchard is not a free agent, but he is extension eligible as well (with one of the best contracts in basketball). I think the team would be wise to consider extending him beyond the two years left on his deal.

Free Agent Exceptions

The biggest lever the Celtics have for improving might be their Non-Tax Mid-Level Exception ($15M). They also have the Biannual Exception ($5.5M) that they could use. The asterisk here is that they will still have to make moves with an eye on the luxury tax. The trade deadline deals were made to duck the tax this year, but the repeater tax penalizes teams that are in the tax 3 out of 4 years. It is possible that under certain circumstances the team would consider it worth it to pay the taxes, but it would be an interesting decision given the cuts made this year.

The other item of note are the trade exceptions ($27.7M and others). The important note here is that the team would get hard capped at the First Apron if they used any of these. There are ways to cut costs elsewhere and/or use these exceptions in creative ways. Just don’t assume that we can simply trade for anyone making under $27.7M and call it a day.

Draft Picks

The Celtics currently own picks #27 and #40 in the upcoming draft. From what (little) I understand, the draft should be relatively deep and there could be value found. On the other hand, the team currently skews pretty young already and Brad might find better value in using those picks to trade for veteran contributors.

Your turn

So what do you think the Celtics should do next? What areas of need do you think the team should address as a priority? What would you do with Vucevic? Are there any free agents that you would target? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and let’s start a discussion.

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James Harden’s reps gauged interest in other team before trade to Cavs

TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 1: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers & RJ Barrett #9 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during the game during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 1, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Before the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for superstar guard James Harden, there was reportedly another team that his representatives inquired about seeking a deal with: the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, Harden’s team reached out to Houston to gauge their interest in acquiring the former MVP from the then-reeling Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers, who started 6-21, were in the midst of several crises and the subject of many trade rumors to try to right the ship. There had been mutual interest in both Harden’s camp and the Rockets’ over the past several years, according to ESPN.

But the Rockets, having moved away from that heliocentric type of player, were not interested in adding. One source told ESPN that, while it would be intriguing to have as great a player as Harden on the young Rockets team, they wanted to develop players like Reed Sheppard, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson instead. This was not the first time that Houston had spurned the chance to acquire Harden, having done so twice before.

Another source told ESPN that the Rockets “weren’t going to put the ball in James’ hands anyway”, and questioned the need to trade for someone that requires the rock to be impactful. All this despite the fact that Houston was without their starting point guard, Fred Van Vleet, who suffered a torn ACL before the season started.

As history would tell it, the Cavs swooped in and acquired Harden for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. The move, which garnered plenty of criticism and raised eyebrows across the league, was the kind of risk that the Rockets were not willing to take. But for the Cavs, it was worth it to raise their championship window for the next year or two just a smidge wider.

Part of the wink and nudge of the deal with the Clippers was probably a contract extension for Harden, who doesn’t have too many of them left in his Hall of Fame career. After all, the Cavs very likely would not move on from their former All-Star point guard in Garland — 10 years younger than Harden — for just half a season of Harden. But perhaps that is not a forgone conclusion given the reported mutual interest in a return to Space City.

The Cavs figure to be one of the more interesting teams this upcoming offseason, whether that occurs after this series with Detroit or beyond. Harden’s contract is a big part of the equation that Koby Altman must solve.

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Yankees news: Rest in Peace, John Sterling

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 04: New York Yankee broadcasters Michael Kay and Suzyn Waldman stand for a moment of silence for long time colleague John Sterling after placing flowers at home plate before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on May 04, 2026 in New York City, New York. Sterling passed away at the age of 87 years earlier in the day. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Ringer | Ben Glicksman: Early yesterday morning, WFAN broke the news that legendary Yankees broadcaster John Sterling had passed away at the age of 87. Immediately, broadcasters and journalists throughout the league penned tributes to the beloved man. Saying, “Of all the people I didn’t really know in my life, I knew him the best,” Ben Glicksman of The Ringer reflected on the idiosyncrasies that made Sterling an icon in the broadcasting world, as Sterling remained unapologetically himself throughout his career.

I could fill out this whole list with tributes and obituaries written by members of the media, so in order to save space, let me just list the others instead of summarizing them: Brendan Kuty (The Athletic), Andrew Marchand (The Athletic), Chris Kirschner (The Athletic), Buster Olney (ESPN), Bryan Hoch (MLB), Mark Feinsand (MLB), Greg Joyce (New York Post), Matt Snyder (CBS Sports). No two were alike, even those written by members of the same publication, a true testament to how Sterling built such a unique relationship with those around him.

FanGraphs | Michael Baumann: The biggest baseball news of the Yankees’ week is, of course, Anthony Volpe’s demotion to Triple-A Scranton. Yesterday, Michael Baumann reflected on the move, noting that while the beleaguered shortstop has not met the sky-high expectations imposed on him when he made his debut on Opening Day three years ago, Volpe has nonetheless been a solid player in his early career (with the exception of the period after his injury last season). Ultimately, Baumann expects him to eventually return to The Show and reclaim the starting shortstop job — after José Caballero comes back to Earth, of course.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: While Jasson Domínguez’s big two-run homer that broke open the game on Sunday and sparked the seven-run eighth inning drew most of the attention, it was his two other hits that game — a sixth-inning double off lefty Grant Wolfram and an eighth-inning double (as the 11th batter in the inning) off Dietrich Enns, another southpaw — that should get the Yankees most excited. After making some adjustments from the right side of the plate, El Marciano has looked much better this season, posting a 1.172 OPS in Scranton against lefty pitching and recording three hits (including the two aforementioned doubles) in his first five plate appearances against them since being recalled when Giancarlo Stanton hit the IL.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: Randal Grichuk, designated for assignment last week, signed a Major League deal with the Chicago White Sox yesterday. With former Yankee prospect Everson Pereira, who has been the right fielder on the South Side, on the shelf, the White Sox now turn to Grichuk to fill the bench spot vacated by Austin Hays, who is now likely in a platoon with Jarred Kelenic in right.

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Buffalo hosts Montreal to open the second round

Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Sabres -130, Canadiens +109; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Sabres host series opener

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens to start the Eastern Conference second round. The teams meet Saturday for the fifth time this season. The teams tied the regular season series 2-2. In their last regular season meeting on Feb. 31, the Canadiens won 4-2.

Buffalo has a 20-7-5 record in Atlantic Division games and a 50-23-9 record overall. The Sabres have an 18-5-5 record in games they score one or more power-play goals.

Montreal has gone 48-24-10 overall with a 20-10-3 record against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens are fifth in NHL play serving 10.4 penalty minutes per game.

TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Doan has scored 26 goals with 26 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has seven goals and four assists over the past 10 games.

Nicholas Suzuki has 29 goals and 72 assists for the Canadiens. Josh Anderson has scored three goals with one assist over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 7-1-2, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.2 assists, 4.7 penalties and 11.3 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game.

Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.6 assists, 5.6 penalties and 11.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: day to day (arm), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).

Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Vegas hosts Anaheim with 1-0 series lead

Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division)

Paradise, Nevada; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Golden Knights -159, Ducks +134; over/under is 6.5

NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Golden Knights lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 1-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Monday for the fifth time this season. The Golden Knights won the previous meeting 3-1.

Vegas is 39-26-17 overall with a 16-5-6 record against the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights have a 42-6-11 record in games they score three or more goals.

Anaheim is 43-33-6 overall with a 19-13-1 record in Pacific Division games. The Ducks have given up 288 goals while scoring 265 for a -23 scoring differential.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Eichel has scored 27 goals with 63 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has six goals and one assist over the past 10 games.

Cutter Gauthier has 41 goals and 28 assists for the Ducks. Troy Terry has four goals and five assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 8-2-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.3 assists, four penalties and 8.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

Ducks: 5-4-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.4 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: day to day (undisclosed).

Ducks: Radko Gudas: day to day (lower body), Petr Mrazek: out for season (lower-body).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Brunson and the Knicks host Philadelphia with 1-0 series lead

Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Knicks -6.5; over/under is 215

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last meeting 137-98 on Tuesday, led by 35 points from Jalen Brunson. Paul George led the 76ers with 17.

The Knicks are 14-3 against opponents in the Atlantic Division. New York averages 116.5 points and has outscored opponents by 6.4 points per game.

The 76ers are 9-7 in division matchups. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference scoring 50.1 points per game in the paint led by Tyrese Maxey averaging 14.0.

The Knicks score 116.5 points per game, 0.4 more points than the 116.1 the 76ers allow. The 76ers score 5.8 more points per game (115.9) than the Knicks give up (110.1).

TOP PERFORMERS: Brunson is scoring 26.0 points per game with 3.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 16.7 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 58.1% over the last 10 games.

Quentin Grimes is shooting 45.0% and averaging 13.4 points for the 76ers. George is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 116.4 points, 42.0 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 101.1 points per game.

76ers: 6-4, averaging 105.5 points, 41.9 rebounds, 21.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.3 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: None listed.

76ers: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Bullish Arteta urges Arsenal to ‘make next step’ as Atlético battle resumes

A first Champions League final in 20 years is within touching distance, but a difficult tie is not over yet

Mikel Arteta can be forgiven for never missing the chance to remind everyone that these are unprecedented times for Arsenal. As his side prepares to face Atlético Madrid in the decisive act of their second successive Champions League semi-final, it is easy to forget that they have only reached this stage on four occasions in their entire history.

But 20 years after Arsène Wenger’s team edged past Villarreal in the last European match to be played at Highbury, Arsenal have their best opportunity since then to reach a second final after a campaign where they have swept all before them. The 1-1 draw in last week’s first leg in Madrid made it 13 matches unbeaten in this year’s Champions League – the only club to have achieved that feat – and also matched Wenger’s longest run without a defeat in Europe’s premier competition.

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